Institut für Epidemiologie und Pathogendiagnostik
The commercial horticulture sector needs solutions to master the ecologically necessary changeover to peat-reduced and peat-free growing media. The proposed joint project builds on the ToPGa joint project. The main objective is the research and (further) development of growing media for commercial horticulture, whereby these must meet the requirements for plant growth, plant health, irrigation and mechanization in order to ensure crop success and crop safety in commercial horticulture. To this end, the proposed joint project focuses on the in-depth investigation of (a)biotic interactions, which play a decisive role in the development of stable and safe peat-reduced and peat-free substrate mixtures, in order to generate practical recommendations. The peat content is to be reduced by using resources that are mainly regionally available in order to maintain the independence of growing media production from global developments. The substrate mixtures start with a 25 % peat content and are reduced up to 0 % v/v peat in the substrate. This requires increased cooperation between the partners in the joint project and with ongoing model and demonstration projects in order to identify and test innovative peat substitutes and mixtures and adapt them for use in cultivation and production processes. In addition, economic and life cycle assessments are carried out for a holistic evaluation of the substrate raw materials and substrate mixtures.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity
